Process of carbonization of coal



Aug. 1o 1926*.'

C. HAYES ROCESS 0F CARBONIZATION OF COAL Filed Dec. l0, 1925 Patented ug. 10, 192.6.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

@ARLES HAYES, or PARIS, FRANCE, ASSIG'NCR rro COAL CARcBoNIzA'rIoN COMPANY,

AA CORPORATION or DELAWARE,

PROCESS OF CARBONIZATION 0F COAL.

Application :tiled December 10,` 1925. Serial. No. 74,542.

invention relates to low temperaturev carbonization of coal and has for its object to provide a process by which carbonization of coal at' low temperature may be rapidly and economically effected, and particularly to provide a process yof agitation of the coal under treatment by which an even heating of the charge is brought about and sticking of any portlon of the charge to the walls of the retort ordigester is prevented. A further object of the invention is to provide a process by which the change may be 'solidified by compression.

With the objects above ,pointed out my inventionconsists in the\process hereinafter described and claimed. k

.Referring to the drawings Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal central sectional view of an apparatus` adapted to carry out the process of my inventlon.

Figure 2lis across sectional view on line 2 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail view of means for oscillating and rotating the retort or vdigester.l y

Figure 4 lis a diagrammatic view :illustrating 'the oscillating and rotating movement ofthe retrt'ordigester.

In the drawings 1 indicates the retort con-A sistin of a cylindrical tube of considerable lengt relative to its diameter "arranged to rotate .on a horizontal axis and havin Vone end provided'with -a fixed head2 havlng a central opening in which is secured. the end of a tube 3 open at both ends and adapted tol rotate in a suitable lbearing on support 4. The outer end of tube 3 extends into and rotates freely in an opening'in a manifold '5. Fasten the tube 3 is a sprocket gear -6 which by 'means of sprocket chain 7 is'operatively connected with 'the driven gear 8 which by means of a driving gear 9 of spiral construction'and which forms the subject matter of a separate application for Letters Patent of the United States filed by me December 10, 1923, Serial No. 74,54()- and-which is adapted to impart to the retort 1 rotation through a predetermined arc, for instance one-fourth of a rotation in one, direction,

then to stop its rotation and impart rotation in .the opposite direction through a predetermined arc of greater extent, and then to stop its rotation and again reverse, the effect being that the charge, within the retort is rotated rst-in one direction andthen in the other, the retort being gradually causedr'tb'.4

rotate through a complete rotation. Other means for imparting to the retort the oscillatoryl rotating movement described may be used such as that described in the patent to Doran, No. 1,215,503, Feb. 13, 1917;

The retort is supported at one end by the tube 3 in its bearing on the support 4 and at thepother endis supported by rollers 11- on opposite sides ofv its axis.

Within the retort 1 is a movable head 12 in the form' of a trunk piston having the for ward end of its skirt preferably tapered outward so as tovbe adapted toscrape the inte- Irior of the retort. The digester is open at the end opposite the fixed head 2 and is enclosed by a hood 13' which'extends upward `from a receiving bin 14 arranged below thek level of the retort. Belowthe digester is arranged the fire box 1or combustion chamber 15. Any convenient heating means may be employed the heating means here shown con-` sisting of a series o f gas burners carried by a v gas 'supply pipe' 16. The combustion chamber communicates at its forward. end with I the hood 13.

At the forward end of the retort the .hood 13 is provided with vertically sllding door 17 movable in ways 18 for closing the endof the retort, this door bein preferably pro vided with openingslg. pposite the end.

ofthe retort and in 1i1`1e'w-ithit'thahood 13` is 'providedwith a second sliding door 20.5b

Two or any number of retorts may be ar-lranged inzbattery with a single traveling means for filling the digesters and a single traveling means for expelling the contents of the retorts after treatment. In the construction shown the filling means comprises a scoop 210i` substantially the same length'a's the retort Iand a ram 22 preferably hydraulic; air or steam operated, by which the `VVhenthe scoop has been pushed within the retort its contents may be held against rearward movement byv any convenient .meansand the scoop Withdrawn, leaving its con' tents in the retort.

The ram 22, and preferably also th scoop 21,-.may be mounted to be movable on rails -23 to bring it in line withl any one of the retorts of the battery.

The sliding doors 17 and 20 being closed the heat from the burners in the combustion chambers heat the retort exteriorly heating the charge by conduction and radi- 5 ation. Assuming the charge to be bituminous coal high in volatiles, the heat used is sufficient to bring the charge vto a temperature `of from 700 degrees F. to not over 1000 degrees. The volatile-s pass between the periphery of the movable head 12, and the wall of the retort this movable head, in order to be capable of being moved in the retort, necessarily fitting loosely enough to permit gases and vapors to pass,

and the volatiles then pass olf through tube 3 in the fixed head 2 and through manifold 5 from which they are drawn by an exhaust fan 24, the volatiles so dra-wn olf, consisting of condensable vapors and fixed gas being led to a condenser (not shown) the condensed oils being separated out and the uncondensable gas being made use of for heating the retortor for other purposes. n

The products of combustion from the combustion chamber 15 passing into lthe hood 13 are preferably drawn into and through the charge in the retort by the current created by the exhaust fan 24 aid-A ing in the heating of the charge and also aiding in carrying off the volatiles, these products of combustion being, of course, inert, that is free from oxygen capable of sustaining combustion within the retort.

When the charge has been sufficiently treated and is in the pasty or sticky condition which results from being heated for a substantial period at the relatively low temperature above indicated, a ram 25, hy-

draulic or air or steam operated, and mounted to be movable on tracks 26, is moved into line with the retort containing the treated charge and, the plug closing the opening 27 in the manifold 5 being removed,

the rod 28 is pushed through this opening 27 and through tube 3 against movable head 12 and the sliding door 17 being in closed position, further forward movement of this rod 28 effects a compression of the charge between the closed door 17 and the movable head. When this compression has been carried to the desired extent the sliding door 17 is raised and, the movement of rod 28 bein continued, the compressed charge is force out into the hood 13 and drops into the bin 14 where it is retained out of contact with the air until it has so far cooled that it will not ignite on contact with the air. The door 29 permits removal of the contents of the bin.

After the compressed charge has thus been forced out of the retort the pusher rod 28 is withdrawn. This leaves the movable head at or near the discharge end of the retort. The door 20 of hood 13 may then be opened and the scoop 21 having been reloaded is again pushed into the retort to leave its load as before.

During the heating of the charge the retort is subjected to the oscillating rotary movement above described and by reason of the agitation thus given to the charge its even heating throughout its mass is ensured and at the Sametime overheating of the portion next to the wall of the retort, at least to the point of being so carbonized as t adhere to the wall is prevented. lVith a non-rotary retort or a retort rotated continuously in one direction only there is a tendency of the softenedycoal or tarry matter resulting from the heat action to stick to the wall of the retort and, as the heat continues and becomes more intense the matter sticking to the retort Wall is burned to a condition similar .to hard carbon and is discharged with diiiiculty. By reversing the rotation of the retort the momentum of the charge causes a' slipping between the material in contact withy the wall and the wall itself and it is probable that the unsoftened material of the charge is mixed with the softened portion in such a way that the tendency to stick to the walls is overcome. By reason of the fact that the oscillation in one direction is through an arc of reater extent than the oscillation in the ot er direction the retort is eventually given a complete'rotation so that the heat from the combustion chamber though applied only to the lower portion of the retort does not heat it so unequally as to produce distortion.

While the process of my invention has been described as intended for use in carbonization of coal it will of course be understood that the term coal is intended vto include any 'and all carbonaceous material capable of heat treatment to drive off volatiles.

It is of course to be understood that the term coal as used herein includes all carbonaceous material from which volatiles may be driven by heat and while my process is particularly adapted and intended for usev in ycoal carbonization it is not .to be understood as limited to use with any particular material but includes its use in connection with heat treatment in a retort, digester or kiln, of any material which is liable to adhere to the walls.

I do not herein claim the apparatus for carrying out the process herein claimed as that forms the subject matter of my application for 'Letters Patent of the United States filed December 10, 1925, Serial No. 74,541, nor do I claim the special gearing for effecting the oscillation and rotation as that forms the subject matter of m, application filed December 10, 1925, erial No. 74,540. r

- Having thus describedV my invention what I claim is;

`1. Incarbonizing coal and like carbonaceous materials carrying volatiles within a rotary retort, subjecting the material within the retort to heat applied to the exterior of the retort, and agitatin terial and preventing it from ering to andbuilding up on the `walloi the retort, by repeatedly rotating the retort first in one directionthrough a predetermined are and then in the other direction through a greater arc soI that by successive movements complete rotation of the retort will be efected. v '2. In carbonizing coal and like carbonaceous materials carrying volatiles within a retort, subjecting the material within the retort to heat directed against the exterior of the retort along a portion of its circumference only, and agitatin the material and preventing it from adhering to and building up on the wall of the retort, by repeatedly rotating the retort first in one direction through a' predetermined arc and then in theother direction through a greater are so that by successive movements the en'- tirev circumference of the retort will be subjected to the'direct action of the heat.

3. In carbonizing coal andlike carbonaceous materials carrying volatiles within a the margtary retort, subjecting the material within the retort to heat ap lied to the exterior of the retort to drive o volatiles, andagitatng the material and preventing' it from adhering to and building up on the Wall of the retort, by repeatedly rotatingtthe retort first in one direction through apredetermined arc and thenin the other direc'- tion through a greater arc so that by successive movements complete rotation of the retort will Vbe eected, and drawing o' the volatiles set free by the heat and continuing the' agitation during their withdrawal.

4. ln carbonizing coal and `like carbonaceous materials carrying volatiles within a rotary retort-,subjecting the material in the retort to heatapplied to the exteriorv` of the retort andagitating the material and preventing it from adhering to and building up on the Wall of the retort by repeat-f edly rotating the retortv first in one direction" through a predeterminedA arcl and then in the other direction through agreater arc so that by successive movements complete rotation of the retort will be eected, drawing oi volatiles set lfree Iby the heat and compressing` the material Within the retort.

In testimony whereof, signature.

CHARLES HAYES I hereunto aliix my 

